Bird and Moon
by DiscoSludge
Summary: A tragic relationship straight out of the movies was something that Minako had never actually anticipated in all of her years of living. But Shinjiro is different. A series of drabbles spanning from the beginning to the end of a love story like no other. FeMC/Shinjiro. Rating subject to change.
1. fortunate circumstances

Their relationship was based on fragments. Little, broken pieces of glass that continually morphed together to make something. As she lays here and wishes for a slow and peaceful death, she begins to piece together those shards and make them into something beautiful.

* * *

"You." The word is simple and easy and has probably been spoken a thousand times over. Such a silly word, and yet when it's spoken by him, the world seems to stop spinning for a moment and everything halts.

She cannot say anything in reply. She can only breathe and pretend that this is a normal thing that's happening even though it's far from. She blinks and looks him straight in the eyes because Minako is not a coward, and she would look death in the eyes if need-be.

"Never mind." He shakes his head and pretends the thoughts that are now running wild in there, have stopped. She has barely even scratched the surface of what is truly terrifying. She doesn't know. None of them really know.

Shinjiro leaves the hospital.

* * *

**(a/n: my abuse of line breaks is almost funny. Planning on actually updating this one, instead of leaving it unfinished like pretty much everything else I do. hope you continue to read/review/enjoy/feel lukewarm about! constructive criticism is always welcome and appreciated! thank you for reading~**


	2. ghosts in the graveyard

It's a normal Saturday. Birds chirp, bees buzz, and punks cause problems. Shinjiro finds himself wishing that there were less punks and that they were actually good people, but then he supposes that that would defeat the purpose of the ruffians.

Nothing is out of the ordinary. He leans against a wall and pretends that his thoughts aren't revolving on the next time he'll have to pop a pill. He pretends this all comes easily to him, this cool demeanor that he has. Because it doesn't. He's actually quite frantic. He just doesn't want any of these people to find out.

Suddenly, that scratchy, adolescent voice comes to his ears and he can just barely recognize it as the boy with the baseball cap. His name escapes Shinjiro and he barely has time to feel bad before the punks start antagonizing him. What the hell was he doing there anyway? Trying to cause problems?

Shinjiro stays in his spot even when hearing the girl with the brown hair preach to them about how it's a public place and anyone is allowed to be there. This is the point where he's starting to think he should step in. But they won't hurt her. The punks would rather hurt the boy who's with her.

Some trashy girl with too much cleavage showing threatens the brown-haired girl. Something about pictures on the internet. It's a stupid, empty threat and Shinjiro sneers at how ridiculous punks are these days.

That's when he hears the punch.

It's subdued and it's definitely not enough to seriously hurt anyone, but Shinjiro can still hear the boy's sharp intake of breath. Things were starting to get violent, so he does what he has to do to keep order.

"That's enough." Two words are, once again, enough to silence everyone. He steps into the scene like a bad supervillian and takes it all in. The boy in the baseball cap is sitting on the ground and clutching his stomach, an exasperated look on his face. The short, loud girl with brown hair has a hand on his shoulder, a defiant look adorns her own features. Standing in front of them is Red-Eyes, looking spunky as ever.

The punks sneer at him, as per usual. Defending the kids would be easy, but he has to keep up his facade. He doesn't know them for their own safety.

"They didn't know what they were getting into." He begins. Red-Eyes flashes him a look of confusion and he continues, ignoring her. "I'll make sure they leave."

The punk questions him in the most eloquent way possible and begins to head towards the group. Shinjiro steps in front of them and does what he does best. A single headbutt and the punk is sent backwards, a bump already beginning to protrude from his head.

Once more, the punk is growling and sneering out death threats that could only be threatening to someone without a brain and Shinjiro can only hope that it's from the hard knock he took to his head.

The punks run off, shouting empty threats to their hearts' contents.

The guy in the baseball cap offers Shinjiro a compliment, but Shinjiro doesn't really feel anything other than a nasty headache coming on. He insults them hoping that they take the hint that Shinjiro is not exactly a people person. Because he's not. And he never will be.

Minako can't help but think of her convoluted fairy tales. A dangerous quest. A knight in shining armor. Shinjiro is far from, but she can't help but be incredibly grateful for helping them out. She could have taken those punks, but really it was nice backup.

He begins to walk away before Yukari stops him. Shinjiro is visibly unaffected as he turns around and faces her. Minako joins her if only to feel in the loop.

Shinjiro asks something about Akihiko as he looks down at Yukari. She doesn't answer and when she doesn't Minako knows this is her chance.

"No," She says. "He didn't." Shinjiro's eyes flash down to Minako before he closes them and sighs. Letting out a hmph, he tries to walk away again. "Wait!" Minako shouts this time. It's enough to keep him grounded, of that he's sure.

They prod him for questions about ghost stories and other silly things that Minako doesn't really care about. She can only study him carefully. The way he occasionally twitches his nose before speaking, his constantly furrowed eyebrows, the dip in his hat.

Somehow, Yukari and Junpei are able to fit together enough information to find out that Fuuka has disappeared and is currently the victim of bullying. Minako feels bad. She was bullied at her old school and it wasn't pleasant.

Shinjiro mumbles something about Akihiko(again, Minako can't help but keep count)and shakes his head, signaling the conversation to be over. Minako decides it's now or never and she wishes it to be now.

"Thank you for everything." She says, her voice clear and confident. Shinjiro decides that it's far too much for him to handle and Red-Eyes is a silly girl who underestimates people and their attitudes. But that feeling of warmth is far too uncomfortable for him and he masks it by growling at them in typical Shinjiro fashion.

And it's all over as fast as it had begun.

* * *

**(a/n: Shinjiro is kind of a crazy hobo-hunk, but I don't care I still love him. Anyway, same as usual, read/review/enjoy/construct criticisms!(if you want.) Thanks again for reading! hope you enjoyed~**


	3. meet and greet

Shinjiro hated the fact that Akihiko had somehow gotten his cell phone number. It was always... 'Shinji meet me at hagakure in 5' or 'shinji I have someone you should meet'. He mostly ignored these texts and went on with his daily routine before one day deciding to bite. Just once he would meet Aki at Hagakure and that would be it. If he was too bothered, he would leave.

So now here was Shinjiro, standing awkwardly in front of Hagakure, waiting for his tall 'friend' to bring this 'person-Shinji-needed-to-meet.'

People walk by and give him the customary "Hooligan" looks before hurrying past and avoiding eye-contact. Shinjiro occasionally wished people weren't such pussies, but then he realized that people rarely change, a major example being Akihiko.

Speak of the fair-haired devil himself, Akihiko hurried past people, suitcase in hand, towards Shinjiro. It wasn't until he was closer that Shinjiro realized Red-Eyes was with him.

"I'm getting sick of you." Shinjiro's words were harsh as Akihiko stepped up to him, Red-Eyes watching the situation carefully.

"Sorry, but the situation's changed. I'm not asking this time." Akihiko nodded as he watched Shinji carefully. And suddenly it all made sense. The kids asking for Fuuka and Akihiko forcing Shinjiro to join. They were recruiting.

Akihiko forced the suitcase into Shinjiro's hands and he fumbled a bit so that it wouldn't fall. The suitcase was the one thing holding him back from punching Akihiko in the face.

Akihiko begins to explain Strega and how they're the enemy and need to be defeated, but Shinjiro tunes him out because he knows all of these things and he doesn't want to feel guilty for taking meds from them. Instead he watches little Red-Eyes and the way she watches Akihiko. She watches him as if he's going to do something reckless any second and she doesn't want that.

Two words interrupt Shinjiro's train of thought and his eyes snap back to Akihiko.

"Ken Amada?" Shinjiro double checks because he's absolutely positive he heard wrong. Unfortunately, he hasn't.

There are things that Shinjiro doesn't want to think about, talk about, or hear about. Ken and his mother are primary examples. Shinjiro is not one to dwell on the past, but this is something that needs to be resolved. Perhaps this is his chance.

They talk a little more about Ken and Shinjiro finds himself wondering what Red-Eyes thinks about all of this. She's remained remarkably quiet this whole time and is now watching Shinjiro warily as if he's plotting something in his head. Maybe he is. Hell if he knows.

The topic segues into her and Shinjiro looks down at her.

"You're the one leading operations now?" He asks. Minako takes these few seconds to really study him. His skin is smooth despite his personality and his eyes are a very neutral shade of gray. They're brimmed along the edges with red, indicating either no sleep or heavy drugs. Minako decides that it's the former. She hopes she's right.

"What exactly are you fighting for?" His question snaps her back into reality and Minako is slightly taken aback. No one has ever asked that before and yet she seems to automatically know the answer.

"To protect someone...something." Red-Eyes voice is more subdued and Shinjiro watches as her hair shifts slightly to the side in the wind. Such a strange, silly girl. She looks haunted with her wide, red eyes and pale skin. Maybe she is...who is he to know?

"Well you do your thing," Shinjiro begins, his wall building itself up once again. "And I'll do mine." He knows this is cold, but perhaps with time-or the short amount he has left, anyway-Red-eyes will understand that Shinjiro is just not a people person and he never will be.

He turns back to Akihiko and they start talking about Shinji's former room and if it's still his.

Minako is distracted by the way Shinjiro seems to be flipping something open and close in his jacket pocket. It looks round and makes a very quiet metallic clang each time it closes. Perhaps a lighter?

Her thoughts are stopped in their tracks when Shinjiro mentions something about keeping an eye out for Minako.

A feeling of warmth is somewhat subdued as they all walk back to the dorm, but it's definitely still there.

* * *

**(a/n: I really, really love the way that the gamemakers set this scene up, not gonna lie, so I just had to include it in the story! anyway, many hugs and internet hearts to my beautiful, first reviewer Miss Hanamura! hope you guys keep reading and keep enjoying! reviews and constructive criticisms are a girl's best friend! thanks!**


	4. strange happenings

Weird things happen to Shinjiro everyday. He should be used to them by now. The shadows, the people, the dorm-mates. All weird, odd thing that he knows should be getting normal by now.

They're not.

Minako's proposition to hang out was freaky at best, and Shinjiro couldn't help but wonder if someone had put her up to it. 'Try to make Shinji feel as awkward as possible on some of his first days back.' Akihiko probably did something stupid like that. But that wouldn't entirely make sense.

And maybe it was the lighting that was giving him a headache, or the blaringly loud rap music that someone was playing, that made Shinjiro want to get out of the dorm.

So here he was, walking down the road with Minako. She laughs and talks about little things like what she did at school today. Shinjiro finds himself interested to a certain extent. He likes hearing about how it is at school. He doesn't miss it per say, but he certainly liked hearing about it.

He leads them to Hagakure(typical)and takes a seat at one of the booths. Normally he'd sit at the bar, but he doesn't know the proper etiquette for the situation they're in. Shinjiro is not a people person. He takes a seat and orders a bowl of amen for himself.

Minako watches as he shifts around awkwardly, clearly not used to her yet. He apologizes for something and Minako can't help but think how silly it is to apologize for going somewhere with her. Either Shinjiro is incredibly apologetic(highly unlikely)or incredibly awkward(much more likely).

"I like this place..." Minako offers a kind smile and, knowing Shinjiro, she expects nothing back.

He takes her by surprise and offers a smile of his own and Minako has never been so dumbstruck. She doesn't understand how she's so amazed, but she understands that that is the first time ever she has seen Shinjiro smile and it's beautiful. He chuckles and Minako can almost feel it.

They're silent for a few moments.

"Uh..we should eat." Shinjiro nods awkwardly and Minako can't help but bite back a giggle. She would never have expected Shinjiro to be the awkward type. And yet here they were.

They begin slurping up oily noodles and Minako regrets that she didn't get a larger size. Her portion is almost gone. The evening is almost done, and yet it's just started. She began eating slower.

"Ow..." Shinjiro stops eating and studies his spoon. He had almost forgotten.

"'Ow'?" Minako asks, concern thick in her voice. Shinjiro almost laughed. If she was worried about him barely hurting at all, he wasn't sure how she was gonna handle him in battle. Shinjiro wasn't exactly a careful man.

"Cut in my mouth." Shinjiro places his spoon back in the bowl. He realizes that him and Minako are the only two in the restaurant still. What time was it anyway? Weren't there any people coming here after work? His eyes flicker back to Minako's and she quickly looks away, suddenly interested in the walls around her.

"Aki punched me a while ago..." Shinjiro rolls his eyes and can't help but think of how stupid he looks. Minako's eyes reach back to him and she looks at his mouth. He keeps talking as Minako just watches the way he forms words. She's seemingly entranced.

Shinjiro stops talking and Minako realizes that she looks silly and she needs a good coverup.

"Were you guys fighting?" She asks and Shinjiro is surprised that she doesn't sound more concerned. He's glad she's not freaking out and coddling and asking if he can still eat his ramen of tell him to get stitches or medicine or some shit like that.

"Well...yeah." He shifts around under her gaze. Something about those red eyes is really unsettling to him. Maybe it's the way they're probing him and watching him.

Minako cocks her head.

"...I gave him a little lecture on on how his fighting style's a little too reckless," Shinjiro laughs in a bitter tone. "He didn't like that much."

Minako wants to laugh really bad because she's knows exactly what Shinjiro's talking about. Akihiko is reckless and crazy and really needs to be more careful because god knows he's going to get himself in trouble one day. But she refrains.

"We get in fights all the time so you might have to get used to it." Shinjiro says with an air of arrogance. Minako watches his eyes and begins to giggle. Shinjiro watches her strange behavior with a quirked eyebrow. Who the hell is this girl? Her giggle is loud and she begins to snort.

"Well alright then." She says in between giggles and Shinjiro isn't quite sure why she's laughing. Maybe she's used to fights? Lord this girl was strange.

The laughing dies down and Minako clears her throat, awkwardly shifting in her seat.

"But man, you're actually younger than him?" Shinjiro asks and he doesn't expect an answer.

Minako smiles wider and nods.

"We're lucky you're a pretty reliable leader." Shinjiro says and for a mere two seconds it sounds like he's being sarcastic before Minako realizes he's being serious. He has complimented her and she feels like it's the first time she's ever been complimented. He didn't even call her beautiful or anything, he just said that she was a reliable leader. It's not like that was even a great accomplishment. And yet she still felt like ten million dollars.

They both laugh for a little while and it feels good. Shinjiro can't remember the last time he has laughed so much in the presence of another person. She's tiny and giggles too much, but he can't help but laugh with her.

They both sip their ramen and Shinjiro forgets. He's good at intentionally forgetting.

"Ow jeez," He growls at the spoon. Minako watches his lips again because she's fascinated. "Cut the inside of my mouth first time Aki punched me too. Couldn't eat for a while 'cuz of it."

"Why'd he punch you?" Minako's eyes flicker up to Shinjiro's and he can't stop that weird feeling in his stomach.

"It was a while ago," Shinjiro's eyes become wistful. "Hell if I can remember." He laughs again and Minako laughs with him. Shinjiro is such a strange man. He's tall and frightening and yet he laughs and feels awkward.

They finish up and walk home. The walk home is a companionable silence. Minako keeps in step with Shinjiro and she laughs when she realizes they're walking in tandem. He only shakes his head with a smile.

Shinjiro was good at forgetting things.

But maybe some things were better left remembered.

* * *

**(a/n: haha thanks again to my wonderful reviewers who keep me motivated! on another note, woops did anyone else see the tense change in the last chapter? haha, WOOPS. I'll have to go back and fix that, of course, but of course I didn't notice it until it had already been published. Anyways! thanks for reading! drop a review if you liked it, if you didn't, etc. etc. you know the drill by now! c:**


	5. responsibilities with a side of rice

Wednesdays are never fun for Shinjiro. Between the fact that the week is only half-way done and the emptiness of the dorm, he just doesn't like it much.

He watches each person come and go. Mitsuru waves, Junpei nods, Yukari ignores, Akihiko smiles a bit, and everyone else just sort of pretends he's not there. The evening fast approaches and Shinjiro realizes he has yet to do anything today.

"Hey..." A squeaky voice interrupts his thoughts and he looks at the source. On the seat next to him, Minako sits and smiles. Shinjiro still hasn't totally gotten over their little outing the last time. He still wonders why she did it, though he isn't mad that she did.

"Hey Minako," Shinjiro nods. "What's up?" He asks and pretends that he doesn't secretly hope that she asks him to spend time with her again. Something about spending time with Minako is stress-relieving and relaxing.

"Let's go to Wakatsu."

* * *

"You eat here often?" Shinjiro asks, studying the place. It's medium-sized with a couple of booths and more than enough tables. The atmosphere is mediocre at best, but he'll take it. He looks down at Minako who is sniffing the air.

"Just a little bit," Minako nods. "I like the smell of the place."

"Aki should eat here too. He needs a better intake of nutrients." Shinjiro sighs and Minako notices that he mentions Akihiko more than enough. She's never quite sure if he worried about Akihiko or was just mad at him. Probably both.

"Uh, in your opinion," Shinjiro begins. "Do you think he's fighting well enough?"

Minako thinks about it a little bit. Akihiko is the best fighter in the group, in her opinion. He's strong and fast with his hits and rarely lets the enemy get a hit on him. Though when he does get hit, it's not pretty. Akihiko takes physical injury fine, but elemental injuries are pretty rough on him.

"Of course." Minako settles on as she finds a seat for them. They both sit down and order their food. Minako watches carefully as Shinjiro picks at his food with a fork. He had ordered steamed broccoli, or some-such healthier substitute, and Minako couldn't help but wonder if he ate like this all the time.

"That's good." Shinjiro's eyes remain on his uneaten meal. "I mean, I trust you as a leader and everything, but I just worry about them sometimes, y'know?"

Minako nods and takes a bit of her rice.

"They can't live off of instant noodles forever." Shinjiro's eyes finally look up and lock with her's before flickering back down to his plate. He finally takes a bite of his food, and the look on his face is less than excited.

"That's why we have to take care of them," Minako smiles and laughs. "Right, Shinjiro?"

"Right."

* * *

**(a/n: shorter than the last couple, but I like this one! thanks again for the lovely reviews! 3 y'all are amazing. same as usual read/review/criticize constructively/etc. etc.! thanks again for reading!~**


	6. cooking with oil and water

After all this business with Chidori and the drugs and Akihiko, Shinjiro is beginning to wonder if he's just a little bit in over his head. There have been virtually no perks in joining S.E.E.S again, and each and every one of them is beginning to get under his skin in their own special way.

The way Yukari groans about schoolwork that she needs to finish, Mitsuru's nagging, Aigis' lack of...well anything really, Ken's aloof-ness, Fuuka's preoccupied stare, and Junpei's lack of rational thinking. Just to name a few.

It's not as if he hates them, no, not at all. In fact, it's quite the opposite, he's actually starting to like them a bit, but it's difficult to be with a certain group of people for a long amount of time without getting annoyed by their little quirks.

Koromaru barks, shaking Shinjiro out of his thoughts. Koromaru only really barks when...

"Hey." He can hear Minako's sing song-y voice travel through the dorm. He knows in that moment, that no, he's not in over his head.

"Evening." Fuuka greets with a warm smile that she reserves specially for Minako. Shinjiro doesn't really know what it is about Minako, but people seem to just naturally gravitate towards her. They like her, a lot. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't one of those people.

"Hey Fuuka," Minako smiles. "How was your day?"

"Fine. How was your's?"

It's pleasant small talk and Shinjiro is so used to it at this point that he kind of wishes they'd actually get to the point, but he doesn't really care. He knows that the situation that SEES is currently in warrants a little bit of normalcy.

"It was pretty good! I gotta good workout in," He's not looking, but Shinjiro is quite aware of Minako's frequent forays into the local gym. And the fact that she usually comes home tired and sweaty. "Plus, there were plenty of cute guys there today."

Fuuka giggles, naturally.

Their conversation drops and Shinjiro returns to his magazine. It's a petty celebrity column, but there _are _a few good recipes in the back...

"Hey Shinjiro-senpai." Minako's voice comes from behind his magazine and he lowers it to see her bright-eyed, bushy-tailed face looking back at him. She's not sweaty and she's not tired. Shinjiro isn't sure whether he's upset at this revelation or glad. That thought is enough to unsettle his stomach.

"Minako," Shinjiro addresses her carefully. "What's up?"

"Wanna hang out?"

"You're not tired from...?"

"No," Minako replies quickly. "I mean, hanging out with you doesn't really tire me out. You're intense Shinjiro-senpai, but not that intense." She laughs at her own joke for a couple seconds too long. Her smile, wider than the Gourmet King, convinces him that she is probably, 99% clinically insane.

"Funny."

"Thanks," Minako quips with another barking laugh. "I thought of it, all by myself."

Someone shuffles behind them towards the kitchen, but neither of them notice. Minako explains a joke that she had heard in class today, but Shinjiro is distracted by a certain smell.

"Hey you smell that?" He interrupts.

"Yeah, it's the smell of a hilarious punchline coming up that you're about to miss because you're not even listening to me!" Minako shouts without anger. Minako is never angry with her friends, and you wouldn't know any better if you saw her exclusively with them, but she was a fireball with strangers. A ball of fury, brown hair, and angry swear words that even Shinjiro was embarrassed to hear from time to time.

"No I mean it smells like-"

"Fuuka's cooking." Minako finishes his sentence for him, a look of horror playing across her features.

That was cooking? That wasn't cooking, that was creating poisonous gas. Shinjiro couldn't believe his nostrils. Ridiculous.

They both pace over to the kitchen counter, only to find Fuuka standing bamboozled by ingredients. Her face is stained with flour and her hands are blood red. If anyone else had entered the scene, perhaps they would feel horror, but Minako could only laugh at her friend's misuse of cooking wine.

"You're causing this...um...odor?" Shinjiro asks politely, trying to simultaneously keep his nose away from the counter and still look at Fuuka.

"It smells?" Fuuka asks. She is oblivious, as usual.

"What are you trying to make?" Shinjiro asks quickly, regaining his poise and stoicism. Fuuka looks between him and Minako before smiling wide and holding her hands up, surrendering.

"Beef stroganoff?"

All three teenagers are silent, and Minako uncomfortably shifts from foot to foot. Shinjiro figures that if he's gonna have anyone judge him in this damn dorm, it might as well be Minako.

"And the roux?" His voice is quiet and calm. Minako's eyes tear away from Fuuka towards Shinjiro, and she's not sure whether he's joking or not.

"Well I made it from scratch with the flour!" Fuuka tries to explain. There is a moment of silence where you can almost hear Shinjiro's eyes narrowing. Minako wants to giggle, oh yes there's a huge part of her that could laugh, but she couldn't do that to poor Fuuka. Besides, the smell was so potent the only emotion she could bring herself to feel was disgust. Pitiful disgust.

Shinjiro sighs and tightens his cap.

"W-well what do you suggest, Senpai?" Fuuka asks, nervously twiddling her thumbs. She had never spoken to Shinjiro-senpai, and, to be honest, she was a little afraid of him. She should be grateful, she knew, he was part of the reason that SEES had found her in the first place, but it was hard to thank someone who never wanted to be thanked.

Shinjiro is silent for a moment, his eyes taking in the scene. He looks at Minako and she flashes him a quick, bright smile. His stomach flips a bit, and he knows that he has no other choice.

"You still have the ingredients?" He asks, tentative.

"Um yes! I bought extra everything!" Fuuka answers happily. Shinjiro nods and takes a spot next to Fuuka in the kitchen.

"I'll make it."

Both girls stare in silence at Shinjiro for what seems like an eternity. In all of Minako's years, she would never expect this to be the case. Big, scary, strong Shinjiro willing to help Fuuka with _cooking _of all things. Shinjiro notices the silence and looks up at Minako.

"You want me to-"

"No, I'd much rather do this instead of going out." Minako smiles again and Shinjiro wishes she would just stop because his stomach is not an Olympic gymnast, and should _not _be doing all these flips. Fuuka smiles looking back and forth between Shinjiro and Minako.

"You two are...?" Fuuka asks with that darn, implying smile of her's.

"Hey we should get started." Shinjiro interrupts quickly.

And so they do.

* * *

Minako watches as Shinjiro carefully crafts the food, his hands moving lightning quick. His gray eyes constantly flicker back and forth between Fuuka's hands, and the ingredients in front of him. He barks orders and sighs, exasperated, at all the right moments. Fuuka picks up a small notepad, quickly taking her eyes off of the meal. Shinjiro shakes his head and gently takes the pad out of her hand, a gesture neither girl would expect from him.

"Just watch."

Shinjiro garnishes the meal with a quick flourish, and at that moment Minako is sure that he knows exactly what he's doing. He could be a professional, she bets, as he places the cookbook-looking meal on the table in front of them. Fuuka stares with her mouth open, shocked that that was something that her hands helped in. Shinjiro is embarrassed, but he'll except the praise if he really has to.

"That looks..."

"Soooo good." Minako nearly drools as she leans forward in her seat. Shinjiro looks up at her and Minako smiles like a madwoman. She might be going delirious from hunger, but she can almost swear that he's a little red at the face. Blush, maybe? The thought that Shinjiro is blushing is so mind-boggling that Minako has to shake her head. She grabs a fork and takes the first bite.

It's tastes like literal edible gold.

Holy crap, she could eat this all day.

"This is delicious. Holy shi-"

"You're really good Shinjiro-senpai!" Fuuka yells, a fork still in her mouth. Shinjiro purses his lips and shrugs.

"Anyone could-"

"No, not like this!" Fuuka nods. "You'll teach me again, won't you Senpai?" Fuuka asks as she takes another bite. Shinjiro can't help but nod. He takes a seat across from Minako and begins to eat his meal. It's not as good as it could be, but he worked best with what he had. The girls had liked it, and that's all that really mattered.

The trio ate in silence for the remainder of the evening. Afterward, Fuuka insisted on cleaning the dishes up so Minako led Shinjiro towards the living room. She took a seat on the couch as he sat diagonal from her in the loveseat.

"She wants me to teach her again." Shinjiro shook his head. This was never really supposed to happen. He wasn't really supposed to have an anchor to the group. He wasn't really supposed to make any promises. He understood that, at this point, it was inevitable. He understood that from the moment he laid eyes on Minako, that was never really possible. Her understood that from the moment he told Fuuka he would help her cook, cutting himself off was never really possible. Akihiko and Mitsuru's expectant, proud glances took away his free will too.

"You know what would be fun?" Minako asks, shaking him out of his thoughts.

"Hm?" Shinjiro is afraid to ask. Minako's definition of fun was a bit different than his.

"Having a party. For everyone. With your cooking." Minako speaks in such short, clear absolutes, that Shinjiro knows that he never really had a choice.

"You don't think that that's, uh...pushing it?" Shinjiro tried to find a way out.

"Pushing what?" Minako frowns.

"You can't just-" He is interrupted by Minako's eyes. Big, red, and sad. Dammit. "Alright, we can try. Maybe just like a one-time thing. I don't know, we'll see." Shinjiro makes no promises, but he knows that now that the thought is in Minako's head, he has to do it. Unfortunately.

Minako stares at him, cocks her head to the side, and smiles. Shinjiro hates when she does that if only for the fact that it makes chest hurt.

"I should get to bed."

"I should probably go check on Fuuka anywa-"

The sound of crashing plates shocks them both, and Shinjiro closes his eyes and sighs.

"Too late."

* * *

**(a/n: oh that darn fuuka! haha, anyways, thanks for reading! review/make your criticisms construct me/enjoy/not enjoy/etc. etc. as a side note: I've just finished a...certain chapter, and I get the distinct impression that this fic might change rating later on? Just a heads up, in case. it's not for a while, but you know! thanks again~ :)**


	7. cold coffee

Mondays were Shinjiro's bad days. He coughed, sputtered, and ached like no other on Mondays. He didn't know why. Nobody did. It was just something that happened. Like stars or perverts on the subway. Inevitable.

Junpei and Yukari sit a few feet away from him, both preoccupied with their own devices. Shinjiro thought it was best that way. The less attached to him they were, the easier it would be. His stomach flipped at the thought. Someone opens the front door, and Shinji knows who it is before they even open their mouth.

"I'm home!" Minako shouts happily. She must have had a good day. Shinjiro can always tell when it's been a good day or a bad day. Bad days she comes up with a smile, but she doesn't talk to anyone, just heads straight to her room, or Paulownia, or where ever else she goes when she's not with them. Good days she announces her arrival with minimal fanfare, but enough for you to get the idea.

She steps over to Aigis, speaks with both her and Koromaru for a few minutes, and heads back towards Junpei and Yukari. They both greet her with hugs and Shinjiro can't help but shake his head. Their devotion to her is so infinite. He wonders how she does it, because its affected him too.

"Shinjiro." She greets him curtly from the table. He nods, careful not to let a smile show. She looks at Yukari then to Junpei who shoves a wink in her direction. Nodding, Minako steps over to Shinjiro.

"Do you want to...?"

"There's actually someplace I wanna go tonight." Shinjiro musters up his courage and asks. In all of his years, he would have never expected having to muster up courage to ask a girl out. The last thing on his mind was girls. Well, not these days, but it was mostly one girl in specific.

"Ah," Minako nods as if she completely understands. "The secret adventures of Shinjiro and Minako. Where will they go? Only time will tell."

Shinjiro just stares at her.

"Okay, let's go." Minako smiles before laughing at her own joke for a brief moment.

Shinjiro can't help but marvel at her attitude. He's not sure what keeps her going. Whether it's someone or something. Maybe even a past event. He tries not to stare at her on the way to Chagall Cafe, but can't quite stop.

Minako has always been much shorter than him. She tries to puff herself up like a bird to give off an air of height and dominance, but it doesn't really work on anybody other than Fuuka and Ken. Her eyes, continuously wide, shift between rose petals and cherries, sometimes even stopping at apple red in the dark night. Shinjiro has never been so entranced before by a pair of eyes. He is embarrassed at himself, embarrassed for her, and is all-around eager to get these weird feelings out of the way.

She makes small talk as they enter Paulownia. Minako articulates her words so carefully that you would think she was some sort of salesman. He's noticed lately, however, she has been much more lax around him. She doesn't have to think so hard to say the right things anymore.

This is both comforting and terrifying for Shinjiro, because he feels the same way.

* * *

Minako shifts in her cushion-y chair before relaxing her shoulders against the back of it. Shinjiro's chair isn't too small for him, but it doesn't quite fit him. The smell of coffee is strong, and the chatter of the many quiet couples sitting around them fills in the room.

"So what are you going to get?" Shinji asks, his eyes on the menu. Minako cocks her head to side and stares at him. She stares at Shinjiro a lot, sure, but every time is still like the first to her. The way he bites his bottom lip when he's thinking, or the way his eyes move so fast that he couldn't possibly be reading. She loves it.

"Coffee. Sophisticate. That's me." Minako jokes. Shinjiro doesn't want to laugh, but a small chuckle escapes his lips. A waiter passes by the table and Shinjiro orders two coffees.

Before Shinjiro can even be mad at himself, he erupts into another coughing fit, this one much worse than the last. He can't even bare to look at Minako or her pity-eyes. He's much rather just cough into the napkin and wait for his shame to die.

It never dies.

"Cold?" Minako asks. It's sweet of her, really. She knows it's not a cold, and he knows that she knows it's not a cold, but her bringing just a fraction of normalcy into the mix is a bit of a comfort. Shinjiro finishes hacking, and places the napkin in his coat pocket.

"No," Shinjiro traces a circle on the table as he speaks, careful to avoid Minako's eyes. "Nothing serious. It's not contagious or anything, so don't worry."

Minako wants to laugh because leave it to Shinjiro to be selfless about having a cold. Or, rather, not having a cold. She doesn't laugh, and instead thanks the waiter as he places their coffees on the table.

He smiles a bit, in spite of himself, and looks at Minako for the first time since they've arrived.

"It happens sometimes. Mostly when I come to places like this. Unfamiliar territory. Y'know, that sort of stuff." He waves his hand around a bit before bringing it down to the table and pouring a sugar packet into his coffee.

"So it's the cafe?"

"No I mean I just feel bad for the workers," Shinjiro shrugs and takes a sip. "Having a customer that's just sitting and coughing the whole night. Bad for business. Bad for tips."

Minako can literally not believe what she is hearing. Any other person, herself included, would be irrationally mad at the cafe for making them cough. But Shinji? No, Shinji felt bad. For the workers! If you would have told Minako all those weeks ago that Shinjiro Aragaki was a selfless man, she would not believe it.

These days? She'd agree in a heartbeat.

"Don't let me forget to pick up some ground coffee on the way out. I need it for something." Shinjiro adds. Minako lets the sentence hang in the air for a few moments while she adds cream to her coffee. The clinks of the spoon hitting the side ofher cup are obnoxiously loud to her for some reason.

"For what?" She finally asks.

Shinjiro turns his head away, takes a sip, and blushes. It's a faint blush, as it usually is for Shinji, but at least it's a blush. Minako can count the times that she has made Shinjiro blush on one hand, and is really hoping to boost that number. By a lot. She blushes at the thought, and they are permanently trapped in a circle of flushed cheeks.

"Cooking." Shinjiro answers.

"Cooking." Minako repeats.

"You're the one who brought it up. I mean, taking care of everyone at the dorm. The party you mentioned. You know..." Shinjiro trails off and picks up his spare napkin. He wipes around the rim of the cup, and folds it neatly down back on the table.

"I could totally help." Minako offers before downing her last sip of coffee. She chugs it like a sailor before realizing that no, that probably isn't very ladylike.

"You could..." Shinjiro blushes again.

"I will." Minako nods.

They talk about it for the rest of night, and Minako can't remember a time where her stomach has felt so warm, and smile so wide.

* * *

**(a/n: Hello all! Sorry it's been a while, I've been busy with finals. This chapter seems a little filler-y compared to the rest, but I still like it. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed! Reviews are always appreciated. :)**


	8. party foul

It was a wednesday evening which meant that Minako would definitely be in the mood to hang out tonight. Shinjiro had her schedule down at this point which, at the risk of sounding creepy, was what occupied a majority of his thoughts.

He leans forward against the desk and shakes his head. All the mailboxes are empty, as usual. Nobody in the dorm got letters from family. It's mostly just college acceptance letters for both Mitsuru and Akihiko. The thought of college maks Shinjiro's stomach lurch before being tapped on the shoulder.

"Minako." He knows who it is before she even opens her mouth.

Minako knows that she should be used to this by now. The sudden rush of adrenaline upon hearing her name on his lips, the tingle of butterflies in her chest. They still happened. Even after all this time.

"Soooo..."

"Give me an hour. I know exactly what you want. Just give me an hour." Shinjiro's smile is subdued but sly. Minako giggles because he knows _exactly _what she wants. Maybe not exactly, but some thoughts were best kept to her imagination.

"We're doing the party tonight?"

"Yep, go round up the others." Shinjiro nods before smirking at Minako, and stepping off towards the kitchen. Minako clutches the bow around her neck and smiles. Out of nowhere, Fuuka walks over towards the kitchen with a wide smile. She looks nervous, but happy. Typical Fuuka behavior. Minako watches.

She watches as Shinjiro guides Fuuka. He is confident, and much like a teacher. Fuuka, on the other hand, is slippery and shaky. After a while, however, you could tell that she was getting the hang of it. With a little more practice Fuuka could probably prepare a pretty decent meal.

Shinji gently chastises her at the wrong use to oils and corrects her mistakes swiftly. In another world where Minako was crazy and young and free she would admit it right then. Three words, easily spoken. So many people had told her, 'be careful with love' or 'love is a messy business. Only say it if you mean it.'

Well, at the risk of sounding like a lovelorn fool, Minako was in love.

It was an unfortunate condition.

"I can help if you guys need it." Minako stands up from her seat and makes brief eye-contact with Fuuka.

"It'd get too crowded back here," Shinjiro remarks. Minako thinks of the worst case scenario, and being close to Shinjiro was certainly not it, but he's right. "Besides, it's supposed to be a surprise."

He laughs.

It's a rumbling echo unlike anything Minako has ever heard before. She stares at him, his face, each individual plane of it, the way it contorts in concentration. Fuuka seems stricken too, as she stands there with wide eyes.

She shakes her head and apologizes to no one in particular before being yelled at by Shinji for apologizing for things she shouldn't be apologizing for.

This circlejerk of Fuuka screwing up and Shinjiro correcting her had manage to make Minako laugh for quite some time. There's something hilarious about seeing tiny, precious Fuuka flustered in the company of tall, brooding Shinjiro.

Junpei steps into the room with a wide smile on his face.

"Smells like good eats," His eyes move towards Fuuka. "Wait, you're cooking Fuuka?"

Minako shoots him a glare and watches as his ears get red with embarrassment.

"Shinjiro-senpai is helping me!" Fuuka pipes up as she adds some flour into a bowl. Aigis and Koromaru are attracted to the scent as well, and both step into the kitchen, noses in the air. Koromaru sniffs as Aigis makes some deduction about some such thing.

Minako watches as the others come down the stairs, attracted to to the smell of cooking food. Typical teenagers. They all make remarks with wide smiles, eager to eat. The revelation comes to them in the form of Shinjiro's eloquence and excitement floods through the room. Minako can't stop smiling, her mouth sore.

Waiting for the food to be ready proves to be a sport in itself. Each person has their own specific way of dealing with impatience. Yukari sits on her foot, Junpei rocks back and forth, and Akihiko keeps licking his lips in a way that reminds Minako all too much of a dog.

Two hours of anxious chatter fades away into full-blown hysteria. Koromaru begins to drool on the table which spurs Yukari and Akihiko to get into a fight about allowing the dog into the kitchen in the first place. Minako secretly cheers for Koromaru because he deserves better.

At the point where she feels as though insanity has finally hit her, both Fuuka and Shinjiro come into the dining area with trays full of delicious looking treats and meals. They place the plates on the table, and Minako thinks that she's going to need chair restraints.

Fuuka volunteers to go get Mitsuru and Akihiko hurries to Ken upon Shinjiro's request. Minako knows things are awkward between them, but it's a well-intentioned gesture on Shinjiro's part.

The two come downstairs with looks of awe on their faces. Even the 'Ice Queen' Mitsuru looks thoroughly excited.

The meal is a huge success as far as Minako is concerned. Her stomach is full after fifteen minutes, and the others mumble and groan contently. Delicious food was a privilege when you were a teenager in a dorm, and Minako was not going to take this for granted. She gathers up some leftovers as the others leave the room happily. Shinjiro remains. He had not eaten, and looks a bit more tired than he usually did. His mouth, however, is upturned in a smile.

"I made you some tea." Shinjiro tells her, two small cups in his hands. Minako smiles and takes the one with the cat painted on it. That was her specific tea cup. She had made it herself all those years ago with her mother.

Associating her parents with this place was so strange to her. They were two separate worlds, she had convinced herself. Iwatodai and her parents. She was a different person here. Shinjiro was a whole other world away from her past. She was in denial, of course, but she didn't want to be.

She wants to be right.

"You wanna sit?" She asks, eager to get her parents off of her mind.

They each take separate seats from each other in the lounge, not too close not too far.

"I'm glad they had fun," Shinjiro looks out the window, looking as weary as ever. The smile on his face is not a mistake though, which is enough for Minako to smile back. "You had fun too?"

"We should do that again some time." Minako remarks. She knows that it tired him out. Hell, it tired her out too, but the look on his face is worth it, in the end.

"I'm glad you brought up the the idea," Shinjiro sips his tea and looks Minako in the eyes. Her eyes had always been the focal point of her face to Shinjiro. The first thing he thought of when someone said her name was those pair of ruby reds. They were wild and beautiful. It scared him how much thought he put into them. "I probably would have never done something like this otherwise."

His smile fades, and in its place had taken a look of pain. Not physical pain, mind you, but a rather sad, inner-pain. Minako stops smiling as well.

"All I had to do was..." Shinjiro stares down at his hands for a moment before shaking his head. So often had he thought about his death, that thoughts of other things, things that kept him tethered, were so foreign to him. Thoughts of happiness, and peace. They were strange and charming, serpentlike in their temptations.

He takes a sip of tea.

Minako takes this as a sign that the conversation was beginning to make him uncomfortable. She knew it was edging into territory that made him waver. She would be lying if she said that it didn't make her waver either.

There was one small fact however that made a small burst of warmth erupt in her chest. She was the reason he had done it. She had given him a small fractile of courage, enough so that he was able to do something he had never done before. Reach out. Reach out to others and allow them to enjoy his company for once.

He begins to cough, shaking Minako out of her thoughts.

"I'm gonna get some rest. You should too." Shinji stands up between coughs and straightens his jacket.

"Goodnight Shinjiro."

"'Night."

* * *

**(a/n: Soooo...the party scene! I was a little worried about tackling this one, but I think it turned out alright! Hope you enjoyed it too! Reviews are appreciated, as always, and I hope you guys keep reading and enjoying! :)**


	9. good memories

Minako was having a rough day. Between being yelled at by Rio during squats and Mr. Ekoda breathing down her neck about english homework, she was beat mentally and physcially. Her eyes feel heavy on the walk home.

Despite having a fairly brutal day, she knows that the dorm will provide some safe harbor from the harshness of high school. Someone greets her as she steps in, so she smiles and hollers back. Maybe it was Fuuka. Maybe Akihiko. The fact that she doesn't even know who it is makes her realize that sleep was probably a good idea.

But Shinjiro looks so lonely over by the door.

"Hey there." Minako greets as she steps over towards him. His eyes look redder than usual, and the bags under them are hard to miss.

"Minako. What's up?" Shinijro responds. He has to be careful around her. There's something off about the both of them today, he notices. Shinjiro, of course, feels like a dead man, but Minako looks bad. Not bad, but sore. Tired perhaps. He doesn't know what his brain could possibly make him say in his current state. He isn't quite confident with her restraint either.

"You busy?" She asks with a smile. He almost laughs because no, of course he isn't. Even if he was, he would probably cancel for her. She knows that. At least, he hopes that she does. He doesn't want to spell it out for her.

"Mind if we step out for a bit?" Shinjiro asks.

"Sure."

They walk out of the dorm in tandem with each other's steps. It's fairly cold for a September evening. Minako rubs her arms as she takes a seat on the bottom step. Shinjiro joins her a few inches apart.

He sighs.

"Sorry," Shinjiro shakes his head, and Minako watches as his hat goes back and forth. "They keep bothering me about cooking for them. Especially Aki, ugh."

He goes on for a few minutes about his plight in the kitchen. It sounds like a difficult battle. Constant coercions from the SEES members could only be handled civilly for so long before someone snapped. Minako knows that from personal experience.

Shinjiro ends his rant with a small shrug, and Minako giggles that infuriating giggle of her's. Shinjiro doesn't want to blush. He blames it on the cold air.

"Can't stop that train once it starts." Minako shrugs before wincing. The thought of not being able to stop a train once it started brought back memories of an angry priestess and an angry Yukari. Two ladies she would hope to never encounter again.

"I'm glad they liked it, I guess," Shinjiro smiles as he looks up at the trees lining the streets of their dorm. "You don't think it was weird for me, right? That I did that? I mean, there's nothing wrong with making good memories..."

"Good memories..." Minako repeats. He nods and continues.

"We've got two kids at the dorm anyway, one big one small. It's good they've got good memories to grow up with." Shinjiro finishes with a smile. Minako can't possibly imagine what had spurred this random speech of sadness. She doesn't like how wistful he's getting, the gleam in his eye that makes it seem like he isn't going to be here forever. And he wasn't. She knew that. She wasn't going to be here forever either. But still.

"You had fun right?" Shinjiro suddenly turns towards her, and Minako is taken aback. Him even implying that she could have anything but a good time that evening was just silly.

"Definitely." Minako nods with a bright smile. Maybe she's tired, maybe she's crazy, but she could swear that Shinjiro leans in a a little. Perhaps she's wishing for something that isn't going to happen, but a kiss seems imminent. It wasn't. Hiding her disappointment is difficult.

"Good to hear." Shinjiro laughs.

There was that beautiful, wedding-bells laugh again. If Minako had a penny everytime she heard Shinjiro laugh-. No, scratch that. She didn't even need a penny. That was just how wonderful it was.

"It's easier to handle pain when you have good memories." Shinjiro nods to himself.

"It's easier to ignore pain when you have good memories." Minako adds. He looks at her as if a bright light has just shone upon her face. As if he is just seeing her for the first time all over again. He furrows his brows in confusion before offering a resigned smile. Minako never ceased to amaze him. Never.

"You. Shouldn't you be doing something else?" Shinjiro asks. He's fast retreating back into his shell. Fear of rejection. Fear of unworthiness. Fear of his own selfish desires. What else was new though? Really, these things were so common to him at this point.

"What do you-"

"I mean I'm sure you've got more important stuff to do. More important people to talk to." Shinjiro shakes his head as he studies the bags beneath Minako's eyes. She stares at him like he's crazy. Maybe he was, he didn't know.

"You're important. You're more important than my other stuff. You're the most important." Minako reassures him, not realizing that this sounds way more like a love confession than she had intended it to. Shinjiro blushes. He laughes clumsily and places a hand on his head.

"Well...all right. All right then."

"All right then."

"You wanna go get some ice cream or something? I mean we're already out." Shinjiro shrugs awkwardly.

"Yeah. We'll be quick."

Neither Shinjiro nor Minako get home until 1a.m. That evening.

* * *

**(a/n: This chapter feels...moderately discombobulated. Minako and Shinjiro's relationship is progressing a bit faster than I had originally planned, but that's why we're all really reading this anyway, right? Anywhooo! Thanks so so much for the wonderful reviews, you guys are my inspiration and driving force, and I hope you keep on reading! Thanks again~**


	10. something about you and I

Minako bounces around the dorm with a renewed spark in her step. She smiles and laughs at nearly everything with a bouncy ponytail and bright eyes. Meanwhile, Shinjiro is too busy hacking up his lungs in the corner to celebrate with her. He doesn't know what she was celebrating, but damn she was happy.

"Senpai!" Minako hops in front of him with a laugh. He can't remember the last time she had called him senpai. It seems more like a joke now, though, considering everything they'd been through.

"Wow."

"It's been a really good day!" Minako jumps once, shocking Shinjiro a bit.

"Can you come with me, actually?" Shinjiro asks. This was it. Now or never.

"Yeah, of course!" Minako answers as if his offer caught her off guard. It was only a matter of time, she had decided earlier. She was going to tell him tonight whether he liked it or not.

"Thank you." Shinjiro leads her out the dorm and to their next destination.

* * *

Needless to say, Minako had not been expecting this place of all places. It seemed like a million years ago that she had been rescued here by Shinjiro. It seemed like a million years ago that he had so easily sweeped between her, Junpei, and Yukari, and sent them home like they were lost puppies.

Shinjiro takes a few steps in front of her before stopping with his back facing her. Minako figures that she could tell him. She really could.

No she couldn't.

"Here we are again..." Shinjiro speaks very clearly. His words crisp in clear in the cold, night air.

"Seems like forever ago." Minako studies the buildings nearby, each one crappy in its own individual way.

"Back then, I would have never imagined coming back. Not once. Not for anything." Shinjiro shakes his head as he sticks his hands in his pockets.

"Well if it's any consolation, I'm glad you came back." Minako comforts carefully. She could tell him. Oh yeah, she could tell him tonight. No wait. Yes. No. Ugh. She shakes her head. Minako is thankful that he couldn't see how red her face was right now.

Well she _was _thankful until he turns around.

"...I doubt I'm bringing much to the team."

"That's not why I'm glad you're here." Minako couldn't believe what she was saying. She was too deep to dig herself out of this one.

Shinjiro turns to face the wall once more, his confidence not as bright as it usually was. She could hide herself like an ostrich. Really she could. Just straight up dig her head in the dirt and pretend that nothing had happened. Nothing at all. Nope.

"You're a pain." She can hear Shinjiro speaking quietly through the ringing in her ears.

"I'm a pain?" Minako sounds angry, but Shinjiro is laughing.

"You keep messing things up for me." Shinjiro is still smiling which made it all the more infuriating for Minako. She was beet red, and angry. Very angry.

"_I'm _messing things up for you!?"

"I keep thinking about how my life should be. How it's supposed to be, but..." Shinjiro trails off.

"But what?" Minako asks angrily. She had never been thrust through such a range of emotions before. Earlier she had been skipping with delight and excitement. Tonight was the night that she was going to tell Shinjiro!

Obviously that wasn't happening.

"Your face keeps popping up in my head." Shinjiro shakes his head dejectedly.

Oh. Oh that's what he means. Minako is more than embarrased. She's hit ostrich levels now.

"My face?"

"You just gonna repeat everything I say?" Shinjiro laughs as he turns around to face her. She should laugh too, she realizes, but something is holding her back. Perhaps it's how nonchalant he is about it. Now or never? No, never. Never was better.

"You." Minako says the word once, but it's enough to recall something in him. The very first time. The hospital room. Everything hitting everything all at once. A universe shifting. A change in the winds. The future looming. Minako Arisato and Shinjiro Aragaki.

"We should head back." Shinjiro stares through Minako as he speaks, unaware that her eyes are so intently focusing on him. She wishes so badly for nothing more than to tell him right then. Now or never.

They leave the alley leaving too much unsaid.

* * *

**(a/n: the next few chapters are going to get a little intense, so this is just a forewarning! Intense in a sense that most of you already know what's going to happen, so be emotionally prepared for it. Anyways, thanks again for reading! I really appreciate you guys and hope you keep enjoying the story. Reviews are very much appreciated, and I'll see y'all next chapter!**


	11. fairytales

Everyone is sitting in the dorm, silent and somber. It's too close to the full moon for anyone to be hyper. They fear for themselves. Shinjiro fears for Ken. Shinjiro fears for everything. It's no coincidence that the full moon is going to be on the fourth. No coincidence at all.

Minako steps up to him. His thoughts shift to her. Her face, her smile. Everything good about her. So...everything essentially. God he sounds like an idiot.

"Are you okay?" She asks. Usually when someone asks you how you're doing, they don't really care about the answer. Usually they ask you if you're okay because that's what you're supposed to do when someone looks sad. But not Minako. When she asked you if you were okay, you could feel that if you weren't, she wouldn't be either. It was strange and foreign to him, much like many of the other feelings that Minako gave him.

"Can we sit?" Shinjiro answers her question with another question, much like life itself. Always questions. Never answers. He figures that since there are so many questions in life, it's best when you get answers once in a while.

So they sit. Minako takes a seat on the couch, her usual haunt, but is surprised when Shinjiro takes a seat next to her instead of across from her like usual. She places her hand in the small threshold between them, and is once again surprised when Shinjiro lightly brushes it with his own.

"Say something..."

"Something?" Minako isn't sure if this sounds like a joke or not, but Shinjiro laughs anyway.

"Anything."

"Can I tell a ghost story?" She asks, unsure how he's going to react. Shinjiro never seemed like the ghost story type. She doesn't care. He wanted her to talk, so she would talk.

"Makes sense. You still into ghost stories?" He responds. It takes her a second to process what he means by 'still', but soon realizes that he's referencing way back in the summer, when Yukari, Junpei, and her had all approached him with stories of specters and Fuuka. She flushes at the fact that he remembers.

"What a goof..." He laughs goodheartedly, but sits more attentively. Minako begins her story with a smile.

* * *

Before Minako can realize what she's doing, she speaks for hours. About everything and nothing. Mundane things. Intense things. She speaks about her parents, and her fears. She tells him about her nightmares. She tells him that she thinks he's beautiful.

It's a very strange evening, but, looking back on it, it was one of Minako's favorite nights. She only had three.

He urges her to speak more, apparantly not put off by the fact that she is running out of things to talk about.

"I'm glad you're having a good tme at school," Shinjiro smiles as he speaks, and it's the first time in a while that he looks truly happy. Minako can't remember the last time she had seen him without bags under his eyes and a smile on his face. She thinks it was their first date. Back at Hagakure. How wonderful that had been...

"You look best when you laughinjiro interupts her thoughts with those six words. They bring her back. Back to a time when her mother and father would play with her in the backyard.

_"__Smile, Minni-chan! You are so beautiful when you smile!" _

Her mother was beautiful. Beautiful all the time.

"So don't cry, okay?" Shinjiro sounds like he's wanted to tell her this for a long time.

"I won't." Minako brings a hand up to Shinjiro's face before gently placing it on his cheek. How strange. How strange this had become. Minako had never dreamt of a whirlwind romance. She had never dreamt of sappy songs and handsome princes. And this. This was better. This was better than any story she had ever read. Any song she had ever heard.

He doesn't move, very wary of the hand on his face. He wants to brush her off and tell her to stop. But he doesn't. He doesn't want that. He wants her to stay here with him, forever. As deep and dark as forever was, he wouldn't mind.

If he was to leave tonight, this would have been enough.

"I don't want to leave anything behind. Gotta make sure I don't leave anything behind..." Shinjiro repeats himself as if the message isn't really getting across. It's not. Minako doesn't understand what he means. Deep down she understands. But on the surface. In the long run. She doesn't want to, so she doesn't.

"You're not leaving." Minako says quietly. She can't quite get the words out properly. They are frozen in her head, frozen in the air. Her tongue feels heavy, and a tuft of cotton has lodged in the back of her throat. She can't speak.

He stares at her for a while, a look of pity on her face.

"I'm selfish." He says quietly. Maybe he is. She doesn't care. She doesn't care if he is selfish or selfless. He is staying. He's staying with her.

"Stop." Minako still can't speak well, but she manages this word. She rubs her thumb against his cheek and tilts her head to the side a bit. Where had everyone gone? Where was her back up? Shinjiro wasn't leaving. The others would help her. They would understand.

No, Shinjiro wasn't selfish. She was selfish. She was selfish for keeping him.

"As long as I'm being selfish," Minako shakes her head as he speaks. "Can I ask you for one more thing?"

Minako nods.

"You don't have to forgive me. You don't have to forgive me. But you have to forgive everything else." He nods his head as if this makes total sense. Minako doesn't know what he means. He speaks in riddles and puzzle sometimes, but that's okay because Minako loves that. She loves that and she loves him.

God, she sounded like such a girl.

"You'll understand later."

Echoes of 'will I?' resonated through her head, but Minako held back. She would understand eventually. That was a guarantee.

They sit in silence for five minutes, Minako counts the seconds. Shinjiro stands up and digs his hand in his pocket before shaking his head and sighing.

"Lost my watch."

"It's late," Minako speaks in a robotic tone, glad that her emotions weren't betraying her. "You should get some sleep."

"No," Shinjiro shakes his head. "I want to know if you have any more stories."

There was always one more story with Minako. She would always have one more story for Shinjiro. Thinking about it, maybe Minako and Shinjiro didn't have a thousand years to talk. Maybe they didn't even have two weeks more. But they did have now, and damned if Minako was going to give that up to her tears so easily.

"I've got more stories." Minako smiles gently, and begins to speak once more.

* * *

**(a/n: I've always been really interested in Minako's relationship with her parents, so I just wanted to add a little tidbit into the story! Hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to review! It keeps me motivated. Thanks again~**


	12. honey and smoke

Four days until Hell, Shinjiro recalls as he sits at the counter. Why four had become such a stagnant number to him, he didn't know. Why it clung to his every thought like a bat in a cave, he didn't know.

Someone grabs his shoulder.

"You." Shinjiro says it again, and once again the very winds seem to sit still and listen. Minako is still not used to that word. Not when Shinjiro says it. But she holds the watch proudly in her hands, and stands up straight and tall.

"Me."

"That's my pocket-watch." Shinjiro says quietly. Minako smiles and hands it to him, eager to get it back in his possession. He reaches out and wraps his large hand around Minako's tiny one, holding on the pocket-watch.

"I found it."

"Come with me."

* * *

Naganaki Shrine is beautiful, as always, but Shinjiro cannot help but think that it doesn't really compare to Minako. She is everything good about the world that he doesn't deserve. She is fierce, and wonderful, and intelligent, and beautiful, and worth it. She's so worth it.

How she found his watch, he's not sure. Perhaps she went on a wild hunt, or perhaps she just found it on her way to school. He didn't care either way. The simple fact that he had it back because of her was enough.

She stares at the playground with peaceful eyes.

"Where'd you find this?" Shinjiro's curiosity gets the best of him, and he has to ask.

"The Police Station. Lost and found."

"Why didn't I think of the lost and found?" Shinjiro asks no one in particular. Minako chuckles, but it is quiet and almost a little sad. Shinjiro is not used to this. He's not used to her being the somber one, and him being the entertainer. He is very out of his element.

He flicks the lid on and off a couple of times before speaking once more.

"I thought I'd be okay if I never saw it again," Shinjiro shakes his head. "I was wrong."

"I'm not going to ask why it's so important," Minako shrugs with a small smile. "I'm just glad you got it back."

There is something strange about the way she stands. The way her shoulders are tenser than usual. The crinkles in her uniform are more prominent than he's ever seen them, and the bags under her eyes are stark under the moon's light. She looks like a beautiful ghost. Something out of a story.

"Here," Shinjiro places something in her hand and shakes it. "It's not to pay you back. I've been wondering if I should give this to you for a while."

In her hand lay a small, leather watch. Minako cocks her head to the side before picking it up, and wrapping it around her wrist. Shinjiro helps her with the straps, and she holds it up to the light of the moon when she's finally got the thing on.

"Looks good on you."

"Thanks, Shinji." Minako smiles as she rubs the watch. He blushes, as usual, and nods his head.

They remain silent for seconds too long, and Shinjiro decides that he has to say it now, or he'll never be able to. Now or never. Minako is still looking up at the moon, her eyes a dark brown in the night.

After a while, Shinjiro mentions Akihiko and how he's stupid. He explains their first fight, or rather what it was over. Minako can't help but smile at the story. How ridiculously selfless Shinjiro was, even when he was young. It made her chest hurt. It made everything hurt.

Neither of them had changed. Akihiko hadn't changed. Shinjiro hadn't changed. They were both selfless, hotheaded, and, most importantly, sweet. The similarities between the boys were unmistakable, but they were each individual in their own right.

"He needs someone by his side." Shinjiro finishes his story on a sad note, as always, and Minako can't help but shake her head. The implication that he's forcing onto her makes her angry and makes her want to laugh at the same time.

"Mitsuru?" Minako suggests. She hasn't spoken much this evening, and for good reason. She is sore, and tired of crying.

Shinjiro lets out a dry, hollow laugh.

"Those two will be the death of each other. Growing old together, still insisting that there's nothing going on. Just two old people who've been with each other forever." He smiles.

"Shinjiro?"

"Yeah?"

"You're gonna stick with him too. Me, and you, and everybody else. You're not going anywhere." Minako says. It sounds like she's trying to convince him, but deep down anyone could tell that she was just trying to convince herself. Desperately.

"We should get home," Shinjiro cannot look her in the eyes. "Wind's picking up."

"Yeah, it's freezing out here." Minako changes the subject quickly, determined not to cry. She was sick of crying. Sick of crying over a boy. She was not a weak damsel who cried every time something happened to her. She could take care of herself. Then again, Shinjiro was not a prince. She was not a princess. They were just a couple of kids trying to figure out love.

"Let's go home." Minako nodded.

Shinjiro unbuttoned his jacket and offered her a spot under it. Somehow, Minako managed to squeeze in and share the warmth. His chest was heated, and it smelled like honey and smoke.

If Minako could keep one feeling in a bottle to open whenever she felt sad, this would be that feeling. This would always be that feeling.

* * *

**(a/n: I apologize for being absent for such a long time! I was very busy with a lot of personal things, so I hope I didn't lose all of you guys! I'm here now, so this fic will probably update regularly from now on! Thanks for anyone who's still with me and this story, and thanks to anyone who might have just picked it up. Once again, I apologize profusely to anyone who I've made wait. Thanks for reading! Leave a review to tell me what you think, and hopefully you enjoy the rest of the story! The next chapter may get a little saucy, so just an advance warning! Thanks again. **


	13. dancing in the flames

**(a/n: I've warned enough, but once again this chapter is THE chapter. Nothing too graphic, but it's a heavy _T_, I think.)**

* * *

It was October 2. Minako had taken a few days to recollect herself. She had taken a few days to come to. It felt as if she was in a coma, trying desperately to wake up, but not being able to. She couldn't sleep, rarely ate, and wouldn't talk to her friends.

September 30, Minako realized that she needed to hunker down and get it done. She needed to understand, to grasp at reality. To take a moment to realize that Shinjiro was here, and she was here, and they weren't going to be forever.

But they were going to be something.

She steps up towards him, confident in stride. She had spoken to Yukari earlier that day, detailing her plan. Yukari had blushed, giggled, encouraged, and even given her a condom. Yukari Takeba had given Minako a condom.

If Minako wasn't as red as an apple, she didn't know what an apple was.

No more sadness. Only them.

"Shinjiro." Minako says. Her voice isn't forceful, but it's definitely doesn't sound like it belongs to the same girl that Shinjiro had spoken with at Naganaki a couple of days ago.

"It's okay Minako, really. I feel better after out talk." He reassures her, thinking that that's why she's here. Maybe it's a mistake, because now Minako looks angry. He has only faced her wrath once or twice, but it wasn't pretty. It wasn't fun.

"We need to talk." Minako speaks through her teeth, and now Shinjiro is really confused.

"I can't give you anything more-"

"I want to be with you." Minako interupts him quite forcefully. 90% of Shinjiro is really terrified right now or what he's done, or what he's said. 10% is furiously intrigued. Minako was a force of nature when she was angry. Fear and desire mixed together in a big blur, and Shinjiro really felt weak.

"You can stare at me like that all day. I got nothing for you." Shinjiro shoots back. Two could play that game. Oh yes, two could play that game. Minako smirked evilly. They were gonna play this game? They were gonna play this game.

"You've wasted enough time on me-"

"I love you." Minako says. She says it just loud enough that everyone else in the dorm can hear them. Aigis can at least, with her enhanced hearing. They soon become quiet, and Shinjiro has just been struck by a critical hit. Time for an all-out attack.

"Don't tease me like that!" Shinjiro argues with her, but she knows that he knows she's not teasing. She'd never tease. Well, technically she was teasing right now. Her bow had magically come undone before speaking to Shinjiro. She may have also accidentally undone the first two buttons on her blouse.

"I wouldn't tease you about something like this." Minako answers him. She's brief, but the message is getting across. The blush across Shinjiro's cheeks is so childlike, and so cute, that Minako has to stop herself from just kissing him right there.

What was happening to her?

All those months ago when she had first Shinjiro, if you were to tell her that she would be furiously trying to bed/be with him, she would have blushed like a tomato and yelled and stomped and laughed at how ridiculous it all was.

She loved him. He loved her. Why was this so complicated?

She supposed that she got kind of freaky when she liked a boy. That was only 'slightly freaky' with 'crushes', this was full-on 'super crazy sex goddess' with the only boy she's ever loved. Oh god, her head was spinning. Did she really just call herself a sex goddess?

"I mean, why just blurt something like that out!? Here...of all places!" Shinjiro complains.

"So we can go to my room then?" Minako asks. Oh shit. The bomb has been dropped. All areas evacuate because any pretense, any entendre that she had been planning just jumped ship. That was that. She just full-on propositioned him. Just like that. No big deal. There was no stopping her now. Her inner panther had been unleashed.

She really needed to stop reading those dumb romance novels with shirtless pirates on the covers.

"We can't do that!" Shinjiro blushes furiously as he speaks, his dark grey eyes wide. "People are gonna get the wrong idea!"

"Sooo..." Minako leans forward a bit as she speaks. "Your room, then?"

"D-don't be a moron..." Shinjiro shakes his head as if he cannot comprehend what she's saying. He can't actually. She's literally done a full 180 on him. Shinjiro had never...well he'd never been the object of anyone's affection before! He knew that he loved Minako, but that was different. He was pretty sure she loved him too. But sex? She really wanted that? Maybe that's not what she wanted. Maybe that's what he wanted and was appropriating that onto her.

No...he was pretty sure she wanted it to.

"I ain't a nice guy..." Shinjiro shook his head. No he wasn't. Very saucy thoughts began to enter his head and no amount of shaking would get them out. He had never thought of Minako like this before! What the hell!?

"Fine by me..."

Holy shit she was good at this.

Did she really just say that? Minako has the strange urge to bite her nails, but manages to stop herself. A wave of nervousness fills her stomach. No, she couldn't give up now. She was doing so good!

"I can't let you into my room." Shinjiro shakes his head, still trying to get the images of Minako out of it. They weren't bad images, but he preferred not to think of her like that. Well, now that she had brought it up...

No. No, no, stop.

"I know what I'm saying." Minako speaks clearly, almost one-hundred percent positive that the whole dorm can hear them now. Junpei turns on the radio, and suddenly the awkwardness fades away. She can do this. She can do this. So she does something she's never had to do before.

She sticks her bottom lip out, just a tiny, _tiny _bit.

"No way, it's not gonna happen..." Shinjiro hates himself so much right now. Now he's got these...these urges. Dammit. This is really not what he wants. Well, yeah okay he definitely wants this, but why does it have to be so complicated?

"I still love you." Minako repeats, a little more dejected this time. Shinjiro can't help himself, he really can't. He places a hand on Minako's shoulder, and she grabs it with her own. Her eyes...oh god those eyes.

"Alright."

"Wow," Minako begins as she takes her first step into the room. This is it. This is the room. This is the room that she's going to lose her virginity in? No, don't think of it that way. She has to convince herself to take deep breaths. In through the nose, out through the mouth. It was better that way. "It's pretty empty."

"Yeah." Shinjiro sighs as he takes off his hat. He never wears his hat in his room. It's always been that way.

"I like it." Minako doesn't look at him, but she does put on her best sultry voice. God she was bad at this. Why couldn't she just have the natural seductive gene? Why couldn't she just be really good at being sexy? She was not sexy, not by far.

Shinjiro had to collect himself before answering her. God she was good at this.

"Happy now?" Shinjiro asks, annoyance creeping into his tone. "You're always pushing me around all the time. You're just gonna ignore what I want huh?"

Minako cocks her head once more and looks at him with raised eyebrows. Now they were getting somewhere. Shinjiro wasn't accusing her, he was teasing her. This was better than they were five minutes ago.

Shinjiro had made the executive decision(exactly five seconds ago)that he wasn't going to win this battle. So...by that logic. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right? This wasn't exactly an army that he was hesitant to join either.

"Well two can play at that game," Shinjiro steps over to Minako, a little spring in his step. He grasps her wrists then moves to her hands. Much more romantic than Minako had anticipated. He's much more of a gentleman than she would have expected.

"This is your fault you you know. I'm all confused. You're all I think about, day and night. Dammit, this isn't how it's supposed to be..." Shinjiro looks wistful for a moment, thinking of something sad and distant. Minako wants to yell and tell him to stop because this is their 'not-sad night' this is their night to just be simply happy.

And he's making it sad. He drops her hands.

"You get it right," Shinjiro shakes his head, almost as if he doesn't want to say this. "Go back to your room."

Minako tries not to sigh. No. She wasn't going. She would sleep in this room on the ground if she had to. She was going to spend the night with Shinjiro regardless of sex.

She smirks.

"If you don't go now, you're not gonna get another chance."

Minako turns around and steps towards the door. It's already closed. She stand there with her back facing him. One last chance she thinks to herself. The condom is still in her breast pocket.

Shinjiro knows that he shouldn't be disappointed. This was what had to happen right? They didn't have to muddy things up. They were muddy enough already. Bringing sex into the equation was not a good idea. He's still disappointed.

He's disappointed until he hears the click of the lock.

"I'm not going anywhere." Minako turns around slowly, eyelids lowered. She may have been awkward earlier, but instinct had kicked in. Adrenaline had kicked in. Hormones had kicked in.

Shinjiro chuckled, deep and throaty. Minako had never been turned on by a chuckle before, but she supposed there was a first for everything.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" Shinjiro smiles. It's futile at this point. Not even worth arguing anymore. It feels good to stop worrying for a moment. It feels very good. "Let me make myself clear: I'm not holding back any longer."

It took six words for Minako to turn to jelly. Literal jelly.

Shinjiro moves slowly, his eyes lowered. Minako knows that she's ready. She knows, and he knows. They've never talked about it before, but they both know.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He gently caresses Minako's face, and she's never been more sure of anything in her entire life. She's sure, because he asks.

"Yes."

It takes all but two seconds for him to press his lips against her's.

Minako has read so many stories before. Most of them had some romance in them, and most have had some sort of kiss in them. The kisses had always been described as desperate and passionate and fireworks woooo! But this was different.

This was so much better.

It was gentle and perfect, and everything Minako could have hoped for. After a few moments, they broke apart for air.

And by air, Minako meant clothes. Clothes break.

She began to unbutton Shinjiro's jacket as he took her ribbon off. The process of undressing was always boring and somewhat embarrassing to Minako. But, once again, this was different. His hands were fast, so she struggled to keep up. Finally, the jacket came off just as her shirt hit the floor.

Shinjiro was a multi-tasker so he swept in for another kiss, this one much faster and more heated than the last. Minako was all too eager to accept it. She was glad that she had decided to wear her cute bra today. Pink and lacy, with a little bow in the middle.

Shinjiro was glad too.

She got her hands under his shirt and began to take it off. They broke apart for a moment to get the turtleneck over his head, but were just as soon attached to each other after the shirt was off. Shinjiro was built in a way that you wouldn't normally find on someone that had lived on the streets for a while. Perhaps it was the persona training, or maybe he just worked out. All Minako knew was that it felt very, _very _nice.

Her skirt hit the floor next and things got a little hazy. She undid his belt, and suddenly everything was very warm. The room was warm, their bodies were warm. Everything was heat and passion and Minako had never been in a situation like this before, but she didn't mind it.

Not by far.

They had somehow gotten over to the bed without breaking apart, and Minako shivered in ecstasy. In a surprising bout of dominance, she ended up on top of him, but Shinjiro didn't seem to mind.

No, he didn't mind at all.

* * *

**(a/n: Phew. Well it was good to get that off my back. Anyway, this next chapter will probably be the last happy chapter, much to my dismay. I don't know how this whole thing is gonna boil down, but I do know that I will finish this story. Anyways, thanks again for all of the wonderful reviews y'all have been giving me! I really, really appreciate them. They inspire me to write more. On that note, I'll see you guys next chapter! Thanks again.)**


	14. playing hooky

**I don't really know why this chapter took so long considering it's so short, but it's here now! Enjoy :)**

* * *

Serenity was a concept unknown to both Shinjiro and Minako. Anything and everything constantly turned into chaos at the drop of a hat. Moving to a new city? Chaos. Dark Hour Persona Training? Chaos. Meeting a boy and falling in love with him? Chaos.

Obviously, chaos was not a new affair for either parties.

Serenity was, however. The calm and quiet after the storm. The birds chirping and fish swimming. The fresh scent of pollen on wind. Calm things. Things that you see in paintings in an old woman's house.

Tranquility was not normally the sound of someone snoring, but Minako would take what she could get.

She lies on Shinjiro's bed, covers up to her shoulders, and sinks into the mattress. There is nothing more in the world that she wishes for in this moment, and, quite frankly, is glad that she made the executive decision to skip school today.

Last night had been...adventurous. She was still a bit tired, but wouldn't miss this opportunity to find a little calm with Shinjiro. He had been courteous and gentle, something she wouldn't have expected a few months ago at their first meeting, and treated her like a princess.

Essentially, everything went right which was a fairly new experience for Minako.

Shinjiro rolls to his side, and that's when Minako realizes that he's not asleep anymore.

"Good morning..." Minako trails off as she sinks further into the mattress. Her mattress was definitely _not _this comfortable. How had he gotten such a soft mattress? Lack of use?

"Hm." Shinjiro mumbles a bit into the pillow, still quite tired. Minako begins to trace circles with her fingers on his back. He turns his neck to face her, and this is the most well-rested she's seen him in a long time.

"Sleep well?" Minako asks. She scooches up further a bit and rests her back against the bars, using the blanket as a makeshift dress.

"Took some time, but yeah...I think I managed." Shinjiro chuckles a bit. They laugh at dumb inside jokes that are laden with innuendo which is silly because they both know what happened. They perpetrated it! Still, Minako appreciates it. She appreciates the normalcy.

She thinks of school, and the way Junpei will laugh at her empty seat. Yukari will blush and roll her eyes at him, knowing exactly what's happened, but pretending she doesn't. Mitsuru will chastise her. Missing school is a crime punishable by death, but Akihiko won't mind. He'll laugh. He'll laugh at this whole damn thing because of all things to sway Shinjiro it had to be a little spitfire with red eyes.

A bird chirps outside interrupting Minako's thoughts. She turns her head towards the window, and lets the sun soak into her skin.

"You uh..." Shinjiro begins to speak as her stares at her, dumbstruck. "You look nice."

He's an idiot. Full-blown and totally 100%. He wants to say so much more. He wants to call her beautiful, and feel her feather-light skin on his hands. He wants to breathe in her vanilla perfume, and let it swallow him until he doesn't hurt anymore. There are so many things he wants to say, but the ghosts in his brain won't let him. They never do.

She giggles.

"Thanks. You too." Minako moves her hand up to his neck and begins to scratch the nape of it. He smiles, and they stay quiet. There's nothing that will ever be like this again. Not a single moment. Minako should be sad, she knows, but there's a part of her that doesn't want to be sad. Not yet. She still needs her time. She still needs her time to be happy and goddamnit she was going to be happy.

A cotton-y lump formed at the back of her throat.

There are a million ways to fall in love, Minako realizes. You could fall in love with a boy that punches his problems away, you could fall in love with a kid still not really sure where his head's at, or you could fall in love with a boy in a baseball cap. But nothing would ever be like falling in love with the boy that doesn't know he's an angel. That's the boy she fell in love with.

She's stupid, she thinks. A stupid, lovelorn, teenage girl.

But she's okay with that.

"I don't wanna move." Minako says after a few moments. Shinjiro gives her a brief look of amusement before shifting around. The sheets move with his body like water in a creek, and he leans against the back of the bed with Minako.

"I'm in love with you." Shinjiro says quietly. He looks down at his hands as Minako shifts her gaze to him. He's never said those words before. They feel strange and foreign on his tongue, but he likes the sound of them. He likes the way they wrap around her like a piece of armor. He likes the way she smiles when he says it.

"Thanks," Minako laughs. "I'm also in love with you, if that wasn't obvious already."

"You're insufferable." Shinjiro shakes his head with a chuckle.

"We should go get breakfast." Minako puts her head on his shoulder. He kisses her forehead, and gets out of bed eager to spend the rest of his days with Minako.

* * *

**(a/n: Thanks for reading! Like I said before, this is probably the last happy chapter for a while, as I'm sure you all know what happens next. Sorry for the long wait! Reviews are much appreciated as I love to hear from you guys! Thanks again for reading, see you next chapter! **


	15. the lamb and the knife

In terms of full moons, this one could have gone worse. For some reason, Shinjiro and Ken had not been seen for quite a few hours. The fact unsettles Minako. She knew how Ken felt about Shinjiro, and she knew that October the Fourth was a bad day for them both.

Minako had been hyper aware of herself and Shinjiro the past two days. Ever since they had spent the night together, it seemed as if her and Shinjiro were connected to one another. It was corny, but she couldn't shake the feeling that they had become a part of one another.

Minako was worried.

So they set off to an unknown alleyway that Akihiko has led them to. He is silent and pensive, uncharacteristic of Akihiko after a big fight like this. Fuuka can't sense them, but Minako can. They are here, in the alley. Something drops in her stomach, and she knows that this will end in bloodshed, as only a war can.

The scene is strange. Ken looms over a body as Akihiko stands across from him. The body is wearing a violet peacoat though rivers of red trickle in the creases and indents. Minako cocks her head to the side as her friends rush past her. Each of their voices seeming more distant than the last.

She wonders whose body that could possibly be, and why is everyone trying to help them up? Why is Takaya here? The metal monster in his hand growls with steam. Minako can't hear anything anymore. She can hear her own rabbit's heartbeat, and someone else's ever-slowing drum.

"Shinjiro-senpai!" Junpei's voice is the first one she hears.

Shinjiro? That was impossible. Shinjiro didn't bleed like that. He couldn't. Minako's feet carried her over to the others. The ones that loomed over the body. That wasn't Shinjiro. This was a bad dream.

Minako could hear her mother's screams and the breaking of bones. She could hear every drip drop of blood hit the pavement. She could hear the car tires screech like dragons burning cities to the ground. She could hear Shinjiro's ragged breath. She could hear her father trying to talk, trying so hard.

Shinjiro speaks. He speaks to Ken like Ken is his son. A few words of advice, a pat on the head. It's all so similar, Minako realizes. She falls to her knees next to Ken, and feels the pavement beneath her cold and hard. Her eyes are so sore, she doesn't want to look.

Shinjiro addresses Akihiko, but Minako still cannot hear the words. She only hears his breaths, ragged and shortening between phrases. Her fists clench and her teeth grind, but she is already too broken to break further. Her bones feel like porcelain, her skin paper.

"Don't cry, Minako..." Shinjiro lifts a weak, pale hand up to Minako's face, and gently strokes her cheekbone. At his touch, Minako remembers everything. She remembers the hospital room, the food, the party, the pocketwatch, the heat, the curve of his collarbone, everything about him. She sees tears hit his hand, and only then does she realize she is crying.

"This is how it should be..." He struggles with his words. Minako wishes she could argue with him and laugh. No, absolutely not. This is not how it should be. They should be okay. They should all be okay. No more monsters, no more yellow eyes, no more of this. They should be in love like they are.

He coughs, and Minako makes a noise that can only be described as pain. A wracking sob.

His thumb draws light circles over her skin, and she only feels pain.

"Don't leave." She finally manages with a hoarse voice sick of crying. So many years ago, she remembers the first time she said those words. Her father was in the stretcher, his eyes growing colder with each second. His large hand was growing heavier in her small one. He smiled, then died. Her mother had died on impact. She had nothing.

She still had nothing. She was clutching at dust, and she could feel it slip through her fingers one grain at a time.

Shinjiro smiles and his hand falls.

They say things. All of them saying different things at different times. Minako can hear it in the back of her head. All of them are stunned, but none of them understand. Minako's old friend Death places a hand on her shoulder, and she can feel the roar of a sob come from her chest and out of her mouth. Someone with strong hands clutches her other shoulder and she falls against it. It picks her up, and she can feel the ground beneath her fade away.

Someone else screams as loud as she did, and Minako feels it in her bones. It rattles and shakes her body, and she continues to sob. Someone calls 911. The Dark Hour is over, but it never really ends. She can still feel the yellow moon against her skin, the blood beneath her fingers.

Minako fades into unconciousness before they reach home again.

* * *

They wait by the dorm's phone, but Minako stays far away. She's curled up on the couch, feet tucked beneath her. Her face feels large and puffy, and her eyes can barely stay open. Fuuka's hand is on her shoulder, and she tries to feel okay. Nothing is okay. Of course it's not okay.

Akihiko and Mitsuru are gone. They've left to go to the hospital while the younger kids stay in the dorm and wait for the phone-call. Junpei leaves his hat off.

The phone rings.

* * *

**(a/n: Not much to say. Thanks for reading! Reviews help a lot. See you guys next chapter.) **


End file.
